pathology of lying-第44章
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3 died in infancy。 No history of any significance was obtained except that the development of Bessie had apparently been normal in all ways。 Her mother was said to be normal。 Both parents were evidently representative products of the underfeeding and generally poor hygienic conditions of the laboring classes in a large Irish city。 There was unquestionably a great feeling of affection between the three。 Indeed； Mrs。 S。 stated that it was the excessive kissing of the child by the father which made her suspicious。 Bessie always maintained that both father and brother treated her very well and that she loved them much。
It seemed clear to us that Bessie never knew in the least the significance of the charges she so glibly made at first。 Her mind had long been so full of these things； and their social import seemed so slight； that it meant no vindictiveness towards her loved ones to say what she did about them。 She asserted to us later that she really did not know what she said to the judge at the first hearing。 The case illustrated well the fallibility of a young girl's accusations coming even from the lips of a normally bright and affectionate daughter or sister。
For her own protection Bessie was given a trial in an institutional school。 From there it was reported after a few months that her mind was found to be so continually upon sex subjects that it would be most advisable for her to remain long under the quietest conditions and closest supervision。
… Physical conditions： Local irritation。 Case 16。 Girl； age 9 1/2。 Housing conditions： Crowded。 Early sex experiences： Excessive and pervert。 Parental control failure： No home； no mother。 Delinquencies： Mentality： Serious false accusations。 Good ability。 …
CASE 17
Summary： Boy of 16 years； not living at home； made false accusations of excessive immorality against his own family。 These involved sex perversions； and he implicated even his own sister and brother； and alleged the connivance of his mother。 The main complaint was against the step…father； who he also said was a professional thief。 The improbability of such stories being told without good foundation led to much time being spent on investigating the case。
As possible causative factors of the unmitigated lying we found （a） defective heredity leading to （b） typical constitutional inferiority with the peculiar states of mind characteristic of the latter； （c） poor developmental conditions through early illnesses； （d） excessive bad sex practices on the part of the boy himself。 Vindictive reaction to charges of delinquency against himself might be considered a factor if his false accusations had not been made without any such stimulus a long time previously。
（According to another classification this case belongs in our chapter on Border…line Types。 It is retained here because it so well illustrates pathological accusation。）
John S。； an undersized boy of 16； a pitiable specimen； when under arrest for vagrancy told such a heartrending story of home conditions； with assertions against family morality； that the judge and others were moved to indignation and an investigation was started。 The general feeling was that no one who was not insane could make such statements about their nearest of kin without foundation in fact。
We found a poorly developed； but fairly nourished young fellow； weight 112 lbs。； height 5 ft。 2 in。； good strength for his size。 Stigmata： slight facial asymmetry； ears very long and narrow； dentition very irregularone upper canine having erupted behind the central incisors。 Tattooing on the chest。 Vision defective； but how much so was impossible to estimate on account of corneal ulcer and general gonorrheal ophthalmia。 Gait and attitude very slouchy。 In contrast to general poor development； has already full sex development and much hair over body for his age。
On the mental side we found an excitable and talkative fellow； quite coherent； and giving in no way any indication of aberration by the form or trend of his conversation。 He tells us he reached the 6th grade。 He willingly works on tests and we note the general result as follows： Learning and memory processes； both for logical verbal and for meaningless associations； quite good。 Perception of form； normal。 Power of analysis of situations mentally represented； only mediocre。 Associative processes； verbal； not normally accurate。 Writes good hand。 Simple spelling correct。 Arithmetic correct for 4th grade。 Tests for several other points hardly fair to register on account of defective eyesight。 On one he failed because of not knowing the alphabet in order。 Suggestibility extreme； as evidenced by testimony test。 In giving report on the ‘‘Aussage'' picture； Test VI； he enumerated 12 items； 11 of them correct； on free recital。 Then he gave 11 more details； all correct； on cross…examination； but he accepted no less than 7 out of 8 suggestions offered。
Information on current events is good； but on points said to have been learned at school is much mixed up。 In giving responses to questions； he seized on any slight suggestion and adopted the idea。 For instance； he said he had read the life of Napoleon； but could not remember to which country he belonged。 When England was suggested he agreed to it。 He then told various wrong incidents of Napoleon's life and death； also as suggested by the examiner。 It finally came out that Bonaparte was an English nobleman who fought against France and Waterloo； was never defeated； and got sick in England。 Then in the same way we get the information that this country gained its freedom from France； that Lincoln was president directly after Washington； and so on。 John has read books from the library and various magazines； a considerable assortment。 He knows almost nothing of even simple scientific facts； but is well acquainted with items gained from the newspapers and the theatres。
Going into his story； as we were requested； we heard at once about the cruel conditions at home。 The boy's own father had been dead for ten years and up to within three years he had lived with a relative。 While he was there letters indicated that queer things were going on at home； and the step…father was cruel to the other children。 The mother was afraid to tell the whole story。 When the boy came home the step…father at once began pervert sex practices with him； horrible things； and John found this man had been doing deeds of the same kind with an older sister and a younger brother。 It seems the step…father also beats the children and has put this older girl out of the house。 Recently he has left his wife。
When we go into John's own record； with which we had already made ourselves acquainted； he tells us he does not know what gets into him； but he has run away from home no less than eleven times。 He works for a while； takes his wages and then stays at a hotel。 He says he has been arrested several times on this account。 His mother always telephones to the police about him and that is why he is under detention now。 He wishes he were at home。 The next day we went into more of the details which had been liberally sketched to the judge and other officials。 We now learn that the step…father is a professional thief and that stolen goods he has taken are to be found in their home。 He often leaves home and perhaps takes his wife's wagesshe has to work outand just now is again living at a hotel。 The family have been informed by a physician that he is probably crazy。
On a later occasion the boy told my assistant that he wished to relate the whole story of his family。 He then describes how the step…father even blackens the eyes of the sister and that he has long been immoral with her。 It now appears that perversions began between this man and John some two months ago； never before that。 The mother is there in the house all the time and knows about and permits the step…father's immorality with daughter and son。 Cross…questioned afterward； the boy （evidently remembering what he said before） states these pra
